Psych 152 Study Guide (2014-15 Bower)

Changes in the fetal environment during sensitive periods of development can cause long-lasting changes in structure and function State of the mother provides a “weather forecast” to the developing fetus about what the world outside is like –The fetus develops to be compatible with that environment, but this may have negative implications for long-term health

General definition: Environmental demands that tax or exceed the adaptive capacity of an organism (Cohen et al., 1997) not a stressor if something happens to you but you’re not experiencing a “taxing/exceeding” feeling

Event-based: focus on objective, observable events that are normally associated with substantial demands --> Measured by checklist or interview

•Major events: bereavement, caregiving, divorce, etc.

•Minor hassles: traffic, arguments, etc.

Life Events and Difficulties Checklist (LEDS)

•Two-hour structured interview in which interviewer asks about potential stressors in 10 domains of life

–Health, employment, education, relationships

•These are presented to a panel of raters, who make a contextual rating of the event

–How stressful is this event given what happened and the person’s biographical context?

–520-page manual with 5,000 case vignettes used to anchor the rating process

the specific cardiovascular reactivity differs from challenge and is associated with reduced cardiac efficiency and vasoconstriction— changes that signal an avoidance orientation and prepare the body for damage/defeat.

Challenge is characterized by activation of the sympathetic–adrenal–medullary (SAM) axis,

increased cardiac efficiency, and vasodilation— changes that signal

an approach orientation and increase peripheral blood flow.

A decrease in TPR (e.g., during exercising) will result

in an increased flow to tissues and an increased venous flow back to the heart. An increased TPR will decrease flow to tissues and decrease venous flow back to the heart.

During exercise what happens to TRP?

decreases

Who did better in the GRE?

People in the appraisal condition did better in the GRE

Who showed improved health symptoms and work performance? Stress is good, stress is bad, control

Stress is good

Stress is good group showed

better work performance and health improvement

Reappraising exercise study was done on or is also known as

housekeeper study

Housekeeper study

Completed assessments at baseline and 4 weeks

Informed group perceived that they were getting more exercise, although their behavior didn’t change

Also saw improvements in BP and weight

Reappraising calorie intake study is also known as

Milkshake study

What happens to ghrelin when the stomach is empty?

ghrelin is secreted by the gut and signals the brain to induce sensation of hunger

What happens to ghrelin when the stomach is full?

ghrelin is suppressed and signals the brain to induce sensation of satiety

What happened to ghrelin in the study when you were in the indulgent group?

write about your deepest thoughts/feelings about stressful/traumatic experience for 15 minutes on 4 consecutive days

Pennebaker disclosure paradigm:

Individuals randomly assigned to write about their “deepest thoughts and feelings” about a stressful or traumatic experience or about control topics (e.g., content of closet) for 15 minutes on 4 consecutive days

- ====> majority are resilient, even those whose family/friends/lives etc were directly affected by the incident

Broaden and build

intellectual resources

social resources

physical resources

psychological resources

Stress inoculation: Lab Study 1

- Does moderate prior life stress lead to psychological resilience to a controlled lab stressor/

- College undergrads so the cold pressor task, those that reported moderate levels of prior adversity demonstrated: less catastrophizing, decreased rating of pain, lower ratings of pain unpleasantness, longer immersion time, and decreased positive affect, compared to those with low and high adversity

resilience and breast cancer diagnosis study results

- examined how they responded and what factors were related to positive adjustment, remission, and survival

- result: resilience was predicted by mastery (belief you can influence the outcome of your life)

mastery definition

the belief that life is not ruled by fate but that one can influence the outcomes of important events/situations (predictor of resilience)

percent of people who report growth following adversity

> 50%

Social capital

Cooperative network of social relationships between citizens that facilitates collective action for mutual benefit and problems/resolution

psychological factors associated with resilience

1. Personality factors - optimism, PA, humor, mastery

2. Appraisal and coping styles - active coping

3. Social factors- high perceived social support

4. World views and beliefs- spirituality, belief that the world is fair

Positive affect predicts

Lower risk of mortality among people with HIV

Lower risk of mortality among people with diabetes

Lower risk of mortality among Catholic nuns

Lower risk of mortality among older individuals

seer et al stress inoculation observational study

- Q: does moderate prior stress exposure lead to resilience?

- results: moderate levels of prior adversity led to:

- lower distress

- lower functional impairment

- fewer PTSD symptoms

Positive affect and heart disease

Expression of positive emotions in structured interviews associated with lower rate of coronary heart disease over 10 year follow-up

seer et al stress inoculation lab study #1

- Q: does moderate prior life stress lead to psychological resilience in controlled lab stressor?

- task = cold pressor task

-Results: moderate prior stress led to:

1. less catastrophizing

2. lower pain/unpleasantness ratings

3. less NA

4. marginally longer immersion

seer et al stress inoculation lab study #2

- Q: does moderate prior life stress lead to physiological resilience to controlled lab stressor?

- task: "important test of non-verbal intelligence"

- Results: CV response was consistent with challenge appraisals

seer et al stress inoculation lab study #2

- Q: does moderate prior life stress lead to physiological resilience to controlled lab stressor?

- task: "important test of non-verbal intelligence"

- Results: CV response was consistent with challenge appraisals

Those with moderate prior life stressors showed CV responses consistent with challenge appraisals

higher trait resilience is associated with...

- more positive emotions

- faster CV recovery

neurophysiological correlates of resilience

1. cardio response consistent with challenge appraisals

2. faster CV recovery

3. Higher NPY

neurophysiological correlates of resilience

1. cardio response consistent with challenge appraisals

2. faster CV recovery

3. Higher NPY: A neurotransmitter in the brain and SNS, increases in NPY levels in rats lead to reduced anxiety, thought to serve as a buffer against the negative effects of stress in the brain

neuropeptide Y definition and theory

- NT in the brain and SNS

- increased levels = reduced anxiety behavior in rats

- theory: serves as a buffer against negative effects of stress on the brain

- supporting study = NPY and soldier survival training

NPY and soldier interrogation study

- special forces and regular soldiers exposed to intense interrogation and measured NPY

- Results:

NPY increased with interrogation stress

correlated with increases in cortisol

special forces > regular

correlated with high interrogation scores

===> NPY may be key in resilience

Main effect model

Social relationships have beneficial effects on health regardless of whether one is under stress

Relationships may influence health behaviors, sense of sense, emotion regulation, and other psychological processes with potential benefits for physiological systems of health

More social roles associated with lower risk of developing a cold

main effect model

- social relationships have beneficial effects on health regardless if you are under stress

Social relationships have beneficial effects on health during times of stress--> Social relationships may influence appraisal and coping processes, provide resources, thereby reducing negative impact of experience

Particularly relevant for quality of relationships (perceived social support)

Social ties are a double edged sword

Stress buffering model

- social relationships are beneficial to health during times of stress